Chess training aid and solitaire playing device



May 23, 1961 M. a. FEIGEN ETAL 2,984,914

CHESS TRAINING AID AND SOLITAIRE PLAYING DEVICE Filed April 19, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl' 2 ,0 24 g WHITE f0 move and mafe in fwo Morton B. Fe/yen John H. Sharp INVENTORS WWW May 23, 1961 M. B. FEIGEN ErAL 2,984,914

CHESS TRAINING AID AND SOLITAIRE PLAYING DEVICE Filed April is, 1960 2 heets-Sheet 2 I8 I\ B I I2 bd Emu,

36 Morton B. Feigen John H. Sharp INVENTORS WW Hm United States Patent G AID AND SOLITAIRE PLAYING DEVICE Morton B. Feigen, Highland Park, and John Sharp, Libertyville, 11]., assignors to Gallant Knight, Ina, Northbrook, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 23,187

7 Claims. (Cl. 35-8) The present invention generally relates to an amusement device and more particularly to a chess game device with which a person may play solitaire chess.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a chess game device which may be employed along with a conventional chess gameboard and chess pieces withthe present invention providing a set-up of the chess pieces which should be duplicated on the chess board. The present invention also indicates which color chess piece is to move and how many moves it should require for the opponents king to be checkmated. The person using the device, after carefully studying the arrangement of the chess pieces, will make his moves according to his best judgment. Then, by referring to the present invention, there will be indicated the best possible move under the circumstances and the present device will also indicate the reason for the particular move. Thus, the device may be used as a highly entertaining solitaire chess game device while also training one in the finer points of playing chess so that a person, by employing the present invention, may train himself as to the best possible moves under various circumstances.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game device which is quite simple in construction, easy to use, extremely efiective for its particular purposes and generally inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the chess game device of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the main portion of the chess game device illustrating the structure thereof;

Figure 3 is a transverse, sectional View taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 33 of Figure 1 illustrating the orientations of the components of the invention when assembled for use;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating the arrangement of the components V and the manner in which they are separated; and

, the internal area of the open frame 14 being open for revealing the major portion of the area above the backing plate 12. The peripheral edge of the frame 14 is generally-coincidental with the peripheral edge of the backing plate 12. Overlying one edge of'the frame 14 is Patented May 23, 1961 a retaining member or board 16 which has substantially the same lateral dimension as one edge of the frame 14 with the edges thereof being generally coincidental to the edges of the portion of the frame 14 which it overlies and also generally coincidental with one edge of the backing plate 12.

Enclosing the backing plate 12 is a covering 18 of flexible material such as plastic, leather or the like with the edges of the material 18 being secured together peripherally around the backing plate 12 thus completely enclosing the backing plate 12. Also, the frame 14 is provided with a covering 20 of similar material in which the covering completely encloses the frame 14 and has the inner and outer peripheral edge thereof sealed. One peripheral edge, hereinaftter termed the bottom edge, of the covering 20 which surrounds or encloses the frame 14 is integral with the covering 18 and forms a hinge connection 22 between the backing plate 12 and the frame 14 whereby the upper edge of the frame 14 may be pivoted upwardly about the hinge 22 at the bottom edge thereof for effectively opening the area between the backing plate 12 and the frame 14.

The retaining member 16 is also provided with a cover 24 having the peripheral edges thereof sealed and with the upper edge thereof being integral with the cover 18 and forming an elongated hinge means 26 between the backing plate 12 and the retaining member 16 thereby hingedly attaching the retaining member 16 to the backing plate 12 for movement to an open position out of overlying relation to the frame 14. In order to secure the retaining member 14 in position, the upper edge portion of the frame 14 is provided with a male snap fastener element 28 while the retaining member 16 is provided with a female snap fastener element 30. There are two snap fastener elements on both the retaining member 16 and the frame 14 for detachably securing the retaining member 16 to the frame 14 and releasably retaining the frame 14 in overlying relation to the backing plate 12. With this construction, there is provided a retaining framework having an enlarged open area formed by the frame 14 with there being an area or space between the frame 14 and the backing plate 12.

Attached to and extending upwardly from the backing plate 12 is a pair of rigid studs or pins 32 which project through apertures 34 on instruction cards or sheets 36 and also the pins 32 extend through grommets 38 carried by an overlying cover member 40. The peripheral edges of the cover member 40 as well as the instruction sheet 36 will be disposed under the edges of the frame 14 when assembled on the pins 32 whereby the frame 14 will retain both the cover 40 and the instruction sheet or card 36 in position and the cover plate 40 will be observable through the enlarged opening formed by the frame 14.

The cover 40 is constructed of an opaque material such as dark plastic or the like which is sufficiently thick to retain its own shape but is preferably constructed of unbreakable material. The major area of the cover 40 is opaque except for transparent windows 42, 44, 46 and 48. Also, two circular areas of an enlarged nature are transparent but the circular areas are covered by rotatable opaque disks 50 and 52 each of which is provided with a transparent window 54 and 56 respectively. The disk 50 is provided with indicia indicating the direction of rotation thereof and this disk is to be a disk which a player will turn for the move. The disk 52 will also have indicia thereon indicating the direction of rotation of the disk 52 so that a player may turn for the comments. Also provided on the surface of the cover 40 is suitable instructions for indicating the manner of employing the device efiectively by employing the instruction cards or sheets 36.

Reference is made to Figure 5 in which a representative instruction sheet or card 36 is shown and includes a centrally disposed reproduction of a chess board 58 having the chess pieces 60 disposed thereon in a particular manner with the chess board 58 adapted to underlie the transparent Window 44.

Underlying the chess board 58 is an area having instructive indicia 62 thereon indicating which color chess piece is to move and in how many moves it should require for the opponents king to be checkmated. This indicia 62 will register with the transparent window 46 and be observable therethrough. At the upper left hand corner of the card 36 is indicia 64 for registry with the window 42 and for observation therethrough which will indicate the number of the cards so that the cards may be filed or otherwise maintained in order. Also, at the upper right hand corner of the card 36 is indicia 66 which will be observable through the window 48 and indicate the set of cards. For example, the cards may be provided for primary players, intermediate players and advanced players thus adapting the cards to the needs of the individuals involved.

Underlying the disk 50 and the transparent area thereunderis a series of circular areas 68 with one of the circular areas'having indicia thereon designating a starting position as indicated by the numeral 70 so that when the transparent window 54 on the disk 50 is aligned with the circular area 68 having the indicia start thereon, he will know that he is in a position to sequentially observe the proper moves as indicated by indicia 72 in the sequential circular area 68 arranged in a counterclockwise manner from the circular area having the indicia 70 thereon. Thus, by rotating the disk 50 in increments of movement, the most desirable moves will be revealed. Of course, the person playing the game or playing solitaire chess should make his move on the set up chess board which he has provided alongside of or adjacent the present invention. The other side area of the card 36 is provided with a plurality of circular areas 74 arranged in a circular pattern about the center formed by the aperture 34 with one of the circular areas having the indicia start as designated by the numeral 76 thereon so that the disk 52 may be orientated initially with the transparent window 56 overlying the indicia 76. When the indicia 72 in the circular area 68 indicates that a note should be observed after a particular move,

then the disk 52 should be rotated to reveal the note which is in the form of indicia designated by the numeral 78. This note will explain the reason for the particular move indicated by the numeral 72. With this device, a novel and entertaining game of chess may be played by a player and he may also train himself by comparing his moves with the best possible moves under the circumstances and then observing the reason for the particular moves that were indicated. Thus, the device not only serves as an entertainment device but also a highly effective training device as well.

The covering material which may be ofa sturdy and long lasting plastic, leather or the like of a flexible nature provides long life for the device and also provides a neat and attractive device which may be easily stored in a relatively small area. By providing a plurality of sets of instruction cards of sheets, a person just beginning to play chess, may, by due diligence and practice, actually learn the finer points of the game and become quite proficient in playing chess.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and 4 equivalents may be resorted to, falling the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A chess training device comprising a frame having an enlarged opening therein and a backing plate attached thereto, a removable cover plate underlying said frame and overlying the backing plate. with the major portion thereof observable through said opening, said cover plate being opaque and including a first transparent window, a second transparent window, said first and second windows being circular, said cover plate including a centrally disposed transparent window, an instruction sheet underlying the cover plate whereby portions of the instruction sheet may be observed through the windows, a first rotatable disk mounted on said cover plate in overlying relation to the first transparent window, a second rotatable disk mounted on said cover plate in overlying relation to the second transparent window, each of said having a window thereon for revealing sequentially a plurality of areas on the underlying instruction sheet for observation thereof, said rotatable disk on the cover plate enabling sequential moves of the chess pieces as recommended by the instruction sheet to be observed.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame is hingedly attached to said backing plate at one edge thereof, a retainer hingedly attached to the opposite edge of the backing plate, and means detachably interconnecting the free edge of the frame and the retainer for retaining the cover plate in position and retaining the instruction sheet under the cover plate.

3. A chess training device comprising a frame having an enlarged opening therein and a backing plate attached thereto, a removable cover plate underlying said frame and overlying the backing plate with the major portion thereof observable through said opening, said 'cover plate being opaque and including a first transparent window, a second transparent window, said first and second windows being circular, said cover plate including a centrally disposed transparent window, an instruction sheet underlying the cover plate whereby portions of the instruction sheet may be observed through the windows, a first rotatable disk mounted on said cover plate in overlying relation to the first transparent window, a second rotatable disk mounted on said cover plate in overlying relation to the second transparent window, each of said disks having a window thereon for revealing sequentially a plurality of areas on the underlying instruction sheet for observation thereof, said rotatable disk on the cover plate enabling sequential moves of the chess pieces as recommended by the instruction sheet to be observed, said frame being hingedly attached to said backing plate at one edge thereof, a retainer hingedly attached to the opposite edge of the backing plate, and means detachably interconnecting the free edge of the frame and the retainer for retaining the cover plate in position and retaining the instruction sheet under the cover plate, said backing plate being provided with upstanding pins adapted to be inserted through the instruction sheet and adapted to extend through the center of the rotational axis of the disks thereby positioning the cover plate on the backing plate and retaining the instruction sheet 'in alignment with the cover plate for alignment with the windows therein.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said frame, backing plate and retainer are covered on both surfaces with a flexible plastic-like material, said material forming the hinge connection between the frame and the backing plate and between the retainer and the backing plate.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said means detachably interconnecting the retainer and the free edge of the frame includes snap fastener elements having coacting components mounted respectively on the frame and on the retainer.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein each instruction sheet includw instructive indicia thereon indicating sequentially the moves to be made by the chess pieces which indicia underlies the first transparent window, instructive indicia indicating sequentially the reasons for such moves underlying the second window, and a chess game set-up simulating a board in the form of indicia underlying the central window.

7. A chess training aid comprising a backing plate, a frame hingedly connected to one edge of the backing plate and normally overlying the backing plate, retaining means carried by the opposite edge of the backing plate and detachably engaged with the frame for retaining the frame in overlying relation to the backing plate, said frame having an enlarged opening therein, a cover plate forming a closure for said enlarged opening, pin means projecting upwardly from said backing plate, an instruction sheet overlying said backing sheet, said sheet including apertures receiving said pin means for retaining the instruction sheet in predetermined relationship to said backing plate, said cover plate including means means engaged by said pin means for positioning the cover plate in relation to the instruction sheet, said cover sheet having window areas thereon revealing portions of said instruction sheet, said instruction sheet having indicia thereon underlying said window areas, a plurality of disks rotatably mounted on said cover plate, said disks being disposed in overlying relation to certain of said window areas, each disk having a window thereon for sequen- 10 tially revealing the indicia on the instruction sheet as the disks are rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

